... this guy should REALLY meet Ella, I mean REALLY. They'd have soooo much to talk about! ^w^ That and her dad falls into both the "Gimick by just being himself" and "Pushed to the back for the other" in his tenure in pro battling... heckwhat he was best at in fighting is what ruined him...

Yeah, Ella & Rowdy would get along really well! ^w^

Conversely, the "no gimmick required" gimmick (if you can call it that) is what's made everyone in Rowdy's family famous... of course, when you fight in a league that's basically the Poke-version of old school ECW, silly costumes and posing are only likely to get your butt kicked that much quicker.

Now you have me curious about the history of Ella's dad and his pro battling career. :)

I've been meaning to write it up... in essence Ella's dad, Rolando Rukiko,is an Aura master to the point where he is able to detect weaknesses, flaws, and pressure points in his opponent's bodies almost effortlessly. His style simply capatilised on that with almost horrifing effectivness.

He's the current record holder for several of the "Quickest Match" records in the big book of battling, unfortunatly that's what screwed him over. He rarely, if ever, lost but crowds didn't like matches that were over before they knew what was happening and Rolando's naturally clam, somber, and collected personality just made his less popular with the fans. He was pretty much bounced between leauges as a back stringer for events until he finally retired knowing full well he'd never be able to break the "Reputation" he'd gotten in the leauges enough to ever make it to win a title... which is why Ella's so up to it to become grand champion, cause she feel her dad deserved a shot at it but never go it...

And that sums it up... more or less, I never really worked out if Rolando was well know or not but he does have a rep as an "Effective, straight forward, and difficult to combat fighter" if that was actually worth anything.

Sounds like he should have pursued a career in the Indigo Plateau League, since that's one where speed and an ability to finish off your opponent fast is the foundation it's built on and he probably would have found more than a few worthy challengers there. Although I'm guessing he was probably burnt out on trying to make a pro career before that one was founded, since it is relatively new on the scene.

Yep... he officially retiered when Ella was four, afternearly ten years of his below standard treatment with various leauges... He's happy now doing the occasional charity match, helping out the nearby training gyms, and watching his beloved daughter blossom into young womon hood... and continue to get better at fighting too.

Not exactly what you'd expect butit's how he lives nowadays.

Scratch that... looked up the wrong info there. ^.^ Rolando was in league circulation for a lot longer then ten years. Sorry.

Hmm. Had he ever moved up to the national level? If so, maybe he was too proud to go back to the regionals and considered it a step backwards on the ladder.

Well if he did move up to national level he, like before, fell to the wayside for more popular and well liked (if in several cases less talented) fighters went on to greater things all around him... so he is nursing a bit of a hurt ego from his leauge days. So that is most likely why he hasn't gotten back in the saddle so to speak, he'd rather not have to go threw the trouble of winning constantly and never moving up while other he beat just blazed on past him again. He's not sure the small amount of dignity and pride he has left could take it...

Good point. Even though there's a league that fits his fighting style now, all the younger guys are likely to get pushed simply because they are younger and will probably be around longer.

Still, it's good that he's moved on and isn't just sitting at home being resentful and bitter about it. I'm sure Ella appreciates that too. :3

Yep! ^w^ It helps when you have a daughter who thinks the sun rises and sets on you, figurativly speaking. He is willing to do everything he can to help her het stronger.

What-ho, guys is really pissed off. He needs a girlfriend.

What, a guy's not allowed to have a strong opinion about something? After all it is on a topic that's been an important part of his upbringing, and he does bring up some valid points.

And I don't see how any of it indicates that he "needs" a girlfriend, either... :P

It's a pun where I'm from. When someone starts ranting, you nudge your friend on the back and whisper into his ear: "dude needs to get laid".

I'm aware of that one, though it's always just been reserved for when someone starts bitching about something completely pointless. :P

Okay, then, Rowdy just needs to chill out a little, then, before he pops a vein.

Eh, just give him a good brawl or two to blow off steam and he'll be fine. ;)

I'm not sure Rowdy and Gladys would get along at all otherwise, but I think they'd be in absolute agreement here. Skills first, then gimmick -- if you do a gimmick at all. (Admittedly, Gladys is biased in that being a Wurmple-line in the Leagues is basically a gimmick in and of itself...)

As long as she treats pro battling as an actual fighting sport and not a glorified live-action toy commercial/low-rent drama show (in other words, more or less what WWE is today :P), he'd have a good amount of respect for her.

Good writing, there. :D

Who's the Aron, anyone in particular?

Nope, just the first species name that came to mind. Plus the mental image of an Aron dressed up like a superhero is just plain funny to me.

Well, I can't deny that.